sajasma
2003-08-22 07:52 pm UTC (link)

Christ, what a ridiculous rant. I certainly don't reply to reviews on review boards because I don't want to bloat up the number. And if I had the time to e-mail each and every reviewer, I would, but I don't. I'm not getting in a tizzy over it though, and I certainly wouldn't expect authors of fics I review to kiss my ass for writing them a review. I didn't know that reading fics and writing reviews had to be one big circle jerk.

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pradaloz
2003-08-23 01:00 am UTC (link)

I usually send a quick thank you note to people who leave their e-mail addresses in their reviews of my work. But, of course, that's only because I get veryveryvery few reviews so it takes hardly any of my time. I can't imagine how someone who gets ten reviews a day (or a week or even a month) would have the time to sit down and thank each person individually. There simply aren't enough hours in the day. Making a general "Thanks for the reviews!" comment at the end of a chapter is the classy thing to do, imo.

It looks to me like the

fanficrants chick just has an axe to grind. (I'm tempted to ask her to name the "one person" she has in mind.)

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senor_pinata
2003-08-22 07:58 pm UTC (link)

Damn, you beat me to teh wank! I don't know about anyone else, but I really don't get her whining about authors not thanking every reviewer--this might not be what she meant, but I've seen authors thank every reviewer by name in the actual authors' notes and it always struck me as being the wankiest, most self-absorbed "look how many people like me!" thing EVAR.

Okay, maybe not the wankiest, but wanky.

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kannaophelia
2003-08-23 06:24 am UTC (link)

Oh, I hate that, too. "Thank you to the people who kissed my feet enough - I will graciously acknowledge you in my author's notes, and also draw attention to the foot-kissing for anyone who may have missed it. And maybe, just maybe, if you kiss my feet enough, you too will get to see your actual names before the next chapter!"

If you want to reply, bloody well email, don't make a production of it like you're the Queen favouring certain courtiers.

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	parlance 2003-08-22 08:04 pm UTC (link)
	Personally, I think that kind of general "thank you" is rude, but I wouldn't go so far as to call the authors "stuck up." (Reply to this)(Thread)

iczer6
2003-08-22 08:09 pm UTC (link)

Keep in mind that many fics can garner hundreds and hundreds of reviews, and the authors proably DO have lives.

Sure it's nice when they do but let's be reasonable here, when I review it's really to share my thoughts, or let the author know that I liked their fic, not because I want a pat on the back.

You really can't expect an author to drop everything and respond with indepth mutipage emailes to EVERYONE who reviewed.

Icz

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	parlance 2003-08-22 08:11 pm UTC (link)
	Eh, I'm not going to start a wank argument here. I am speaking as an author. This topic comes up all the time and no one's going to change anyone's minds. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

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mirabellawotr
2003-08-23 01:49 am UTC (link)
Hear, hear. Where I'm from, when someone pays you a compliment you say thank you.

But you're right, we've hashed this out here before.
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elfy
2003-08-23 06:32 am UTC (link)
~Keep in mind that many fics can garner hundreds and hundreds of reviews, and the authors proably DO have lives.~

Eh?

What is this "life" you speak of? *giggle*
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delfeus
2003-08-22 08:53 pm UTC (link)
I don't think it's rude. I think it's nice to let people know that you appreciate the time they put into the reviews, but naming every reviewer separately smells like sucking up to get more reviews. Not always, but way too often. It's a different thing if the author answers questions, but the plain name lists are boring.
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split
2003-08-22 09:37 pm UTC (link)
Unless someone e-mail me, I almost never reply to any reviews on fanfic archive site, livejournal or guestbook entries. I do leave a fair amount of reviews to those stories that I enjoy, and generally I don't expect any feedback from the authors.

In fact, some authors have taken their time to thank me over AIM or e-mail before. Though I appreciate their effort, I felt extremely awkward when they first approached me.

And I don't like skimming through all those long-assed notes to every reviewers ... at least put them at the end of the story!
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virago
2003-08-22 10:12 pm UTC (link)
Yeah, this pretty much cements my undying hatred of fanficrants. Great idea gone horribly wrong, at least that I see 90% of their "rants" as whinefests. "But they write stuff I don't liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiike make them STOOOOOOOOOOOOOP!!!"

The thread where several people dogpiled the yaoi fandom, saying that the worst cases represent ALL of the fandom - yeah. That's fair. Ignore the part where I point out that het fandom has some prime idiots too, 'cause, you know, that doesn't fit what you want to hear.

Damn. I have to just stop curiously clicking on stuff. I'll get ulcers.
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iczer6
2003-08-23 02:27 am UTC (link)
I'm wondering if that's the rant where I argued with another poster about character development.

Basically they said it was unecessary because it's more realistic. Because, ya know, people don't CHANGE in real life. I mean if you thought Carebears was a kickass show when you were 5 you'll feel the exact same way when your 30.

[The thread where several people dogpiled the yaoi fandom, saying that the worst cases represent ALL of the fandom - yeah. That's fair. Ignore the part where I point out that het fandom has some prime idiots too, 'cause, you know, that doesn't fit what you want to hear.]

I am getting sick of the thinly veiled 'yaoi sucks' posts. You know why yaoi fans hate the female characters? Because 90% of the time they frigging SUCK!

Okay bringing in the wanky by myself, I'll be good.

Icz

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gairid
2003-08-23 05:42 am UTC (link)
"I mean if you thought Carebears was a kickass show when you were 5 you'll feel the exact same way when your 30."

Christ...please, I don't wanna read GrumpyBear/Braveheart Lion slash *cries*
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iczer6
2003-08-23 05:49 am UTC (link)
OMG! Their love is so veryvery disturbing...

Icz
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rikoshi
2003-08-23 12:04 pm UTC (link)
This is amazingly hysterical, because just now I was having a completely unrelated conversation and I made a joke about writing Swiftheart Rabbit/Brightheart Raccoon slash...

their love is so yiffy!
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YOU DIE NOW.
banal_o_rama
2003-08-23 07:16 pm UTC (link)
Swiftheart Rabbit belongs with Tenderheart Bear. Stop raping my soul!
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Re: YOU DIE NOW.
(Anonymous)
2003-11-08 05:13 am UTC (link)
What Are you talkin about. swiftheart belongs with Grumpy ear. they are so obvious.
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pradaloz
2003-08-23 05:13 pm UTC (link)
I am getting sick of the thinly veiled 'yaoi sucks' posts. You know why yaoi fans hate the female characters?

What gets me about this argument is that, hello, plenty of het and gen authors hate female characters, too. I'll admit that female character bashing is one of my major pet peeves in fanfiction, but it's by no means a yaoi-only phenomenon. Neither is OOCness, bad grammar, fangirldom (though, really, aren't we all fangirls? Isn't that why we're writing fanfic?), bizarre spelling, lack of plot....

Yaoi is not teh eval.

RPS is.

Hee hee! *ducks and runs*
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sorchar
2003-08-22 11:32 pm UTC (link)
*rolls eyes* That's a pretty nitpicky thing to rant about. Like oracleofdoom said, no matter what an author does, there's going to be someone who gets offended by it.

Ten to one if the author in question thanked each person individually, acyla would be ranting about that.
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limyaael
2003-08-22 11:35 pm UTC (link)
*eyeroll* There really is no way to win. People get thanked, it seems wanky. People don't get thanked, they get upset. People review, the authors get to complain about being poked for more chapters that they might not want to write. People don't review, the authors get to whine about being ignored.

Wank without end, amen.
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Hey, I remember her!
banal_o_rama
2003-08-23 12:33 am UTC (link)
Bitch never replied to my e-mail.

No, seriously.
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Space has a terrible power
onetrickpony
2003-08-23 12:48 am UTC (link)
*squeal* ICON!

*fears the Terrible Secret of Space*
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Eee!
redpanda
2003-08-23 01:36 am UTC (link)
*glomps your cute Vila icon*
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Re: Eee!
onetrickpony
2003-08-23 01:42 am UTC (link)
*grin* I love Vila far too much for my own good.
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Re: Eee!
kannaophelia
2003-08-23 06:21 am UTC (link)
I'd almost managed to forget my Vila-obsession... Oh, that *smile*! Happy thief!
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Don't be afraid.
banal_o_rama
2003-08-23 07:12 pm UTC (link)
As long as you have stairs in your house you should be OK.
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Re: Hey, I remember her!
gairid
2003-08-23 05:45 am UTC (link)
Red Rock'emSock'em/Blue Rock'emSock'em

Ooooh.
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dawnswalker
2003-08-23 03:33 am UTC (link)
Actually, I can see how someone could construe a "thanks for the reviews!" message as being on the same level of "that's nice" or "I'll consider it", but the fact of the matter is that when someone actually pays attention to what the reviewers are telling them, it shows. If someone is ignoring the reviews and just going by the number of reviews he/she got, that will show too.

I don't even see why fanfictionists even have to thank the reviewers most of the time. If someone points out an inconsistency in canon or an insight that one overlooked or just basically gives a notably insightful and honest review, of course a "thank you" is in order there. But thanking everyone just for going "OMG UR FIC IS SOOO GUD"? Screw that.
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chaos_priestess
2003-08-23 05:44 am UTC (link)
Oh BITCH. This... agh. I understand if someone doesn't have time to send a review to each and every reviewer. I understand if the author doesn't know what to say. I fall under the second group. I'll acknowledge, say, my beta readers if I know what to say. Just saying "Thank you" seems empty and meaningless to me. Why am I thankful for the review? Why am I thankful enough to say something? "Thank you for reviewing"? That's just... empty. Generic. I'd like for my reviewers to feel like I'm really thankful, you know?
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parlance
2003-08-23 06:47 am UTC (link)
Actually, most people are happy for a "thank you." It may be meaningless to you, but 90% of these wanks would be non-existent if more authors took out the 2.2 secs it takes to type that.
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Re:
chaos_priestess
2003-08-23 06:54 am UTC (link)
I admit, I am flattered when I get a response from an author I reviewed. But if it's just a generic response, it lasts for about two seconds before I start thinking "Did the author just copy/paste this? Is this author glad I reviewed... or just glad someone boosted their ego more?" It then feels kind of empty to get that kind of response.
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parlance
2003-08-23 07:03 am UTC (link)
That may be the case, but I still think it's the only polite thing to do.

And if it's meaningful responses that most readers are looking for (which I don't believe is the case), then I would have to side with those who cite time as a factor against giving them. But I think a simple thank you goes a long way.

I think people should think of a RL face-to-face situation. If someone compliments you, you don't walk away saying nothing unless you don't mind being considered rude, no matter how many people say it to you. You don't have to stand there and gush, just say thank you.

But I also believe that manners are sadly becoming a lost art.
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Re:
chaos_priestess
2003-08-23 07:21 am UTC (link)
RL situations are different, or they are for me. I'm always surprised if someone compliments me in RL, and at that point I give a heartfelt "Thanks!" or an "Uh, thanks," with a really puzzled look on my face. But that's because so few people compliment me in RL. Online, I've gotten quite a few compliments from a person through e-mails or IMs. The words "Thank you" are just becoming meaningless white noise to me. It's gotten to the point I only thank someone for reviewing if I have a reason for it. That way, it means more, both for the person who reviewed and for me. It means that I'm actually thankful, not just handing out the words because "it's the right thing to do."

I have made a few friends by the person replying to a review. However, those people ALWAYS say something like "Thank you for your review. But, what if..." The response doesn't sound like a generic one. I treasure those responses more. It means more if thought was put into it then someone responding because "it's the right thing to do." It feels more polite that way. If I get a response that's the generic kind, it almost feels like the author feels it's almost a duty to say it. It doesn't feel like the author means it. I'd rather the author not reply at that point. I don't want to just be this person the author feels obliged to reply to. I want the author to want to reply to me.
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virago
2003-08-23 08:32 pm UTC (link)
>>But if it's just a generic response, it lasts for about two seconds before I start thinking "Did the author just copy/paste this? Is this author glad I reviewed... or just glad someone boosted their ego more?" It then feels kind of empty to get that kind of response.>>

Well, here. What do you expect the author to do? Seriously. What would make you happy? Sixteen pages of in-depth analysis of "OMG writ mor plz!!!!!1", which is most of what people get? Would you then accuse them of being self-serving and hung up on their own genius? Really, what do you expect?

Then, step back and wonder whether you're overthinking this, and whether you should care that deeply about what they're saying. Maybe they're busy. Maybe it's been a long time and they've lost interest in the story. Maybe they're shy. Who the heck knows. Is it really THAT important? Did you comment because you liked the story, or because you wanted recognition? And if it wasn't for recognition, then why does it matter what they said?
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Re:
chaos_priestess
2003-08-24 06:54 am UTC (link)
What would make me happy? If I really moved the author to respond, a response that makes me think about what I said in my review and create an actual relationship with the author. If it's a duty, for the author not to comment. I find it rude if responding to my review is simply a duty. I wouldn't want a response then. The author saw my review. Fine. I don't need to feel like the author is absently patting me on the head for being a conscientious reader.
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Honestly?
iczer6
2003-08-23 07:31 am UTC (link)
My take? This seems to be IMO a Get Over It situation.

Yes responding to reviews is polite but people don't seem to understand that just because an author doesn't respond it doesn't mean their evil, self centered, bastards. It just means that maybe this person simply doesn't have the time or resources to do so.

And when it's all said and done it's Just A FANFIC. An author not responding is not the worst crime ever commited, and I'd have more sympathy for those that complain if they didn't come off as self centered. To me it's basically saying 'this author is mean because they won't pay attention to ME!'

I do think authors should try to respond to reviews as much as they can. But even if they don't it's not the end of the world. Life will not come to a screeching halt just because you never got emailed back.

Icz
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To all anime fans
(Anonymous)
2003-09-26 09:02 pm UTC (link)
I know you may be getting tired of anti-yaoi posts but I just gotta say one thing:

GOD MADE ADAM AND EVE, NOT ADAM AND STEVE!!!
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